MetalBite Review by Jacobo on 5/6/2005
Dear sons of sadness and despair,

The time has come to embrace the new masterpiece by Draconian, the once promising Swedish doomsters that with their sophomore release, Arcane Rain Fell, have made clear that they are a contending force. If you thought Where Lovers Mourn was an impressive debut, you will surely be brought to tears with their latest offering. The compositions are darker, the sound is thicker and the emotions portrayed in every single obituary are as sinister yet heartfelt as they can get.

This time the music is much slower than in the debut. It’s not as accessible, which is an appreciative quality. After several listens, the album drags you into an emotive and sad hypnotic atmosphere that their debut did not reach. I’ve not had such an experience since the early Anathema days.

In Arcane… you will find some female vocals, though not as many as in their debut. The vocals are as death metal as they can get for this release, a signifying that Draconian doesn’t have any plans of whimping out in the near future.

All the tracks have unique merits to deliver success. The track “Daylight Dies” is excellent for its catchy chorus. “The Abborrent Rays” succeeds with its KatatoniaBrave Murder Day feel. Dreamy yet gloomy, “The Everlasting Scar” is what doom metal is really about. The approach Draconian took with slowing down the tunes really paid off. Once you hear all the songs you will know exactly what I am talking about. There is no waste here.

Fans of early-mid nineties doom metal will find in Arcane Rain Fell a true jewel. Bands like old Anathema, Celestial Season, My Dying Bride and the likes should be proud of this bastard son. Fans who are not very familiar with doom metal should give the newest release from these Scandinavians a try. But I warn you: music this thick, heavy and dense is not very easy to swallow at first. Give it several listens and with the proper treatment, you will reach a good level of hypnosis. Listen and fly away, because this one is definitely a highlight for the year.